Short scale guitars

Neill

One of the reasons I joined the forum was a need to find inspiration and a bit of support since I returned to playing a few months ago.  I hadn't really picked up a guitar in anger for several years following a RTA which made a mess of my left hand.  When I started "practicing" again earlier this year I noticed that certain things I used to be able to do are quite impossible now, and despite my best efforts I don't seem to be making much progress.  It's basically a combination of fractured bones and damaged tendons and I simply can't stretch my fingers over the lower frets.  It was so bad to begin with I even considered relearning to play left handed. 

The best I can do these days is with a "fender scale" guitar capo'd at the second fret which I think makes the scale length about 23.75". (I detune it to D so when it's capo'd it's in concert tuning.) But it's not ideal in several respects.  

I'm thinking 24" might be doable, so my question is do members have any experience/suggestions of short scale rigs - or any other comments really.

   

ICBM

Any of the short-scale Fenders, from the 'student' models (Musicmaster, Duo-Sonic) up to the Jaguar should be suitable. They're all 24" scale - or even 22.5", for the 50s/earlier 60s Musicmaster/Duo-Sonic and one of the reissue Duos, although the 50s 22.5s usually have the very narrow 'A' width neck. Vintage ones of these aren't valuable because most people don't want such a small neck.

There's also the Rickenbacker 325 'John Lennon' model which has a similar short scale and a slightly wider neck, although still narrow compared to a typical Gibson or Fender.

Or if you're feeling very flush, there's always the Gibson Byrdland with its 23.5" scale...

Shark_Eyes

The Squire Mustangs get a good rep, and aren't much outlay, particularly if you can find one second hand they're 22.5 inch, so could be exactly what you're looking for. Andertons have them new for £114 - https://www.andertons.co.uk/fender-squier-bullet-mustang-imperial-blue-0311220587
Alternatively the Duosonics are also 22.5 inch whereas the Jaguar has the 24 inch scale length, if that's what you're looking for.
I know a few years ago Fender released a range of Modern Players which were all short scale, including the tele, so you may be able to find one of those floating around.

I've never really noticed a huge difference in sound when switching between scale lengths given all the other factors in play, so I doubt you'll have to make any other changes to your setup.

Best of luck!

ICBM

Shark_Eyes said:

The Squire Mustangs get a good rep, and aren't much outlay, particularly if you can find one second hand they're 22.5 inch, so could be exactly what you're looking for. Andertons have them new for £114 - https://www.andertons.co.uk/fender-squier-bullet-mustang-imperial-blue-0311220587

No, these are 24" scale.

Shark_Eyes said:

Alternatively the Duosonics are also 22.5 inch whereas the Jaguar has the 24 inch scale length, if that's what you're looking for.

The most recent Squier (Classic Vibe) Duo-Sonic is also 24", although there is an earlier Fender model - the Mexican one with a white plastic pickguard and Strat-type pickups - which is 22.5".

paulnb57

The Squier Bullet Mustang is 24" scale length, but surprisingly its physically the same size as a full scale Strat, although the body is thinner, a lot of people dismiss these guitars as "toys" but they are very nice instruments and at around £115 delivered are worth a punt, to be fair they need a good setup after purchase, but once done punch way above their price.....
I have two of them, 1 is very modded,t he other I put together from a neck I bought off here...
Get yourself to a shop and try one......they feel a bit more slinky than a 25 1/2" scale easier to bend strings and less reach between frets. A capo at the first on a Strat is I believe a good approximation....
If you find you like it, you could upgrade to a posher Squier or a new Fender Mustang, there is quite a good choice.......

ToneControl

I'd suggest (in parallel) learning to play lap steel, unless it's a style you don't like

earwighoney

ToneControl said:

I'd suggest (in parallel) learning to play lap steel, unless it's a style you don't like

That'd be my recommendation as well be it either for an acoustic lap steel (e.g. Weissenborn style guitar) or an electric one, where effectively the left hand will just have to hold a slide which could be easier on the hand. 

@Neill ;
Good luck with the recovery from the RTA though.  

Neill

Thanks for those suggestions guys - @paulnb57 yes the Squier Mustang look like a cheap way to experiment with the shorter scale.

@ICBM yes Gibson Byrdland would be nice but I think Ted Nugent has all the old ones and as for the price of a new one it's not a case of feeling flush it's whether I feel like getting divorced..

Lebarque

Jag all the way

Shark_Eyes

Well that's embarrassing, clearly didn't do my research properly. Apologies all.

Funkfingers

Neill said:

certain things I used to be able to do are quite impossible now, and despite my best efforts I don't seem to be making much progress. I simply can't stretch my fingers over the lower frets.  

Is the issue just reach or would you also have difficulty holding down big strings under high tension? 

The vintage-style Fender short scale electric guitars tend to need heavier string gauges in order to preserve a pleasant string tension feel. Where you might have been accustomed to 9-42 or 10-46 on a Stratocaster, on a Jaguar, you would be looking at 11-48 or 12-52. 

warhead

God forgive me.......I started considering this:

https://www.thomann.de/ie/jackson_js1x_dinky_minion_neon_pink.htm?ref=search_prv_8

paulnb57

Funkfingers said:

Neill said:

certain things I used to be able to do are quite impossible now, and despite my best efforts I don't seem to be making much progress. I simply can't stretch my fingers over the lower frets.  

Is the issue just reach or would you also have difficulty holding down big strings under high tension? 

The vintage-style Fender short scale electric guitars tend to need heavier string gauges in order to preserve a pleasant string tension feel. Where you might have been accustomed to 9-42 or 10-46 on a Stratocaster, on a Jaguar, you would be looking at 11-48 or 12-52. 

10's are fine on a 24" scale

grungebob

It if was me I’d look at either the new Fender offsets mustang or duosonic with the hardtail bridges. Both impressed me immensely with the build quality and sound for the price. 
The duo had a slightly thinner neck front to back than the mustang if that’s something oy need to think about?

as for string tension I’ve currently tried some elixir nanoweb strings and to me they feel like they have more tension in lower tunings than other brands I’ve tried. 
I currently have a guitar tuned a whole step down using them and on an almost identical guitar with my usually 10-52 slinky’s tuned to E the tension feels the same. 
I would guess one of those fenders With 9’s by elixir would have the tension just right for you. 

ToneControl

earwighoney said:

ToneControl said:

I'd suggest (in parallel) learning to play lap steel, unless it's a style you don't like

That'd be my recommendation as well be it either for an acoustic lap steel (e.g. Weissenborn style guitar) or an electric one, where effectively the left hand will just have to hold a slide which could be easier on the hand. 

@Neill ;
Good luck with the recovery from the RTA though.  

my mate has very little finger control because of a spinal injury, yet is an excellent acoustic lap steel player
I dabble with (almost entirely electric) lap steel playing, and it's a brilliant contrast to playing a fretted guitar.
A lot more music could do with an occasional lap steel backing or solo, it never hurt Dave Gilmour's arrangements for example

The muscles and tendons used are completely different, so it allows a musical outlet when you have reached your max playing time on conventional guitar (I find there's only so much playing I can do, because of a left hand injury)

fastonebaz

Might not be up your street, but, I bought a 2/3 scale guitar for my 7 y/o daughter for xmas, its a Jackson JS1X minion and i'm really impressed with it.  Easy to play, perfect intonation, stays in tune, feels and sounds great.  Recorded a demo of it today, only fresh out of the box and tuned.  I'm delighted with this guitar and think it's perfect for my daughter to learn on.

https://youtu.be/GRWG0KmW-Og